Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEBBR’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEBBR’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; densely foliated and bushy appearance; dark brown to almost black-colored leaves; long flowering period; numerous inflorescences with greyed red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Heuchera hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFHEBBR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heuchera hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IFHEBBR’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Heuchera plants with attractive leaf coloration and good garden performance.

The new Heuchera plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2011 in Andijk, The Netherlands of Heuchera hybrid ‘Crimson Curls’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,729, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Heuchera hybrid identified as code number 083-11-K011-03, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Heuchera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Andijk, The Netherlands in June, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Andijk, The Netherlands since June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Heuchera plant has not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘IFHEBBR’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘IFHEBBR’ as a new and distinct Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Densely foliated and bushy appearance.     -   3. Dark brown to almost black-colored leaves.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Numerous inflorescences with greyed red-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Crimson Curls’, in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have dark brown to almost black-colored leaves whereas plants of ‘Crimson Curls’ have dark purple brown and crimson-colored leaves. In addition, leaves of plants of the new Heuchera are not as undulate as leaves of plants of ‘Crimson Curls’.

Plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have dark brown to almost black-colored leaves whereas plants of the male parent selection have red-colored leaves. In addition, plants of the new Heuchera are more compact and denser than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of Heuchera hybrid ‘Black Beauty’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,288. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Heuchera differ primarily from plants of ‘Black Beauty’ in leaf color as plants of the new Heuchera have dark brown to almost black-colored leaves whereas plants of ‘Black Beauty’ have deep maroon-colored leaves. In addition, plants of the new Heuchera are more compact and denser than plants of ‘Black Beauty’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrates the overall appearance of the new Heuchera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Heuchera plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘IFHEBBR’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the left of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘IFHEBBR’.

The photograph at the right of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘IFHEBBR’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer with three plants in a 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Heuchera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid ‘IFHEBBR’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Heuchera hybrid ‘Crimson Curls’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,729.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Heuchera             hybrid identified as code number 083-11-K011-03, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 42 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal rosette             plant habit with leaves developing from the base; densely             foliated and dense and bushy appearance; compact and             uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth             habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 24             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About             61.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 57 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate in basal rosettes; simple.         -   Length.—About 8.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate; palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Obtuse with a small and short abruptly acute tip.         -   Base.—Hastate, lobes free to touching.         -   Margin.—About five lobe per leaf; crenate with small and             short abruptly acute tips; sinuses medium in depth and             divergent; undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely             pubescent; slightly to moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             59A and 187B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             187B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between             200A and 203A; venation, close to between 200A and 203A.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between N77B             and N186C; venation, close to N77B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 18.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to between N186C and 200B.         -   Stipules.—Quantity and arrangement: One at the base of each             leaf. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate with acute apex. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 187B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single campanulate flowers             arranged on axillary compound spikes; each spike with about             300 flowers; about 3,000 flowers develop per plant during             the flowering season; flowers are mostly nodding.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time of flowering.—Plants flower continuously from the late             spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants begin             flowering about four months after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual flowers last about a             week on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 38.6 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 mm by 5.5 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 7.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent;             matte. Color: Distally, close to 185A and proximally, close             to N186C.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Long attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 75C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 75C to 75D; venation, close to 75C to             75D; color does not change with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals in a single             whorl; lower 55% fused. Length: About 5.5 mm. Width: About             1.5 mm. Shape: Narrow ovate. Apex: Narrow obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent;             matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 182B and             182C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 178A and 178B;             distally, tinged with close to 200B. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 182B and 182C. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 178A and 178B; proximally, tinged with             close to 183A and 183B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 61.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about 60° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Densely pubescent; glossy.             Color: Close to between 200A and 203A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 55° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent;             slightly glossy. Color: Close to 183B to 183C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per             flower. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155A. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Deltoid.             Anther color: Close to 24B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 14B. Gynoecium: Pistil number: Two per             flower. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Style length: About             4.75 mm. Style color: Close to 155C. Stigma diameter: About             0.2 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to             148C. Ovary color: Close to 148B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Heuchera. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Heuchera have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Heuchera plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heuchera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant named ‘IFHEBBR’ as illustrated and described. 